Bi₅FeTi₃O₁₅ hierarchical microflowers: Hydrothermal synthesis, growth mechanism, and associated visible-light-driven photocatalysis

Nanostructured Bi₅FeTi₃O₁₅ prepared by a facile hydrothermal method is reported as a new visible-light-driven photocatalyst, which exhibits a nanoplates-built, flower-like hierarchical structure. Its peculiar growth process, from nanonets to nanoplates-built microflowers, was studied when the time-dependent experiments were carried out. The as-prepared nano-Bi₅FeTi₃O₁₅ shows excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity compared with bulk-Bi₅FeTi₃O₁₅ and the widely used photocatalyst TiO₂. The characteristics of the photocatalyst, such as the crystal and band structure, are discussed. The relationship between the physicochemical property and the photocatalytic performance of the photocatalyst is also investigated. Since the nanostructured Bi₅FeTi ₃O₁₅ is first realized, other peculiar properties, such as ferroelectric, magnetic and magnetoelectric properties besides the photocatalytic activity, may be revealed.